


Falling Head First

by ImperialMint



Category: Naruto
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-07-13
Updated: 2013-07-13
Packaged: 2017-12-19 08:52:35
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 14,352
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/881857
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ImperialMint/pseuds/ImperialMint
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The war is over, but the repercussions stretch further than humankind. Recovery occurs in many forms and while Naruto sets up a rehabilitation centre for orphaned onbaa in the forests of Konoha, Itachi moves like ghost through the trees. What both of them discover, though, is that they cannot recover alone.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Falling Head First

**Author's Note:**

> Warnings: Mentions of animal cruelty/deaths (including detailed poaching later on and some semi-graphic animal abuse).
> 
> Dedicated to AberrantAtHeart because she deserves an onbaa herself.

He had only meant to go for a short walk, one to clear his head free of the rubble loosened by the war. It had been days since Naruto had slept more than a handful of hours and weeks since he had slept properly and everything was finally becoming too much to bear. He needed the space and the time to himself, away from people thanking him (Naruto hated that – everyone had won the war together), from people looking at him sadly, people asking his opinion and people needing more help.

He just wanted some peace.

The sun was beginning to break through the landscape and Naruto sighed, rubbing his eyes as he shifted on the mountainside he was on. He summoned a toad to return to Konoha with the intent to let Tsunade know he was safe and let it go in a puff of smoke, turning his eyes to the horizon then after.

There was a lot the war had taught him. For one, Naruto knew now he couldn't fix everything. No one could, though his mind was mainly centred on Sasuke and how, in the end, he was little help to his friend. Sasuke was somewhere out in the world, very much alive yet very much invisible for now. Maybe one day he'd resurface, but Naruto didn't know what would happen in the event that that would happen. He, just like Naruto, needed his own peace and there was no doubt he'd find it, Naruto had that much faith in his friend.

Naruto stood up, stretching his legs out and shifting his bag onto his back. He'd packed some food and basic shinobi supplies – just in case – and was glad for it now as he dug an apple from his bag and bit into it.

Not caring where he was going, Naruto kept walking. He could hear the sound of the ocean and wasn't disappointed when he saw the twinkling blue of salt water far away, the coast of the fire kingdom spreading before his eyes. Across those waters lay the ruins of Uzushiogakure, his ancestral home. Sometimes Naruto wondered what it was like, but there were times when it was better to leave some things alone. Uzushiogakure was beyond saving, a relic now.

The sand was soft under his feet as Naruto slipped his sandals off. He smiled to himself and walked along the beach, creeping towards the incoming waves and letting the water soak his toes. He'd missed simple pleasures like this and was glad for his reprieve from the village now.

The sun began to hide behind the horizon and Naruto sighed. If he didn't want to catch a chill then he'd need to find a place to pitch his tent. There was a small, scrubby area back towards the mainland and Naruto headed there, slinging his bag on the floor and yawning.

Mid-yawn, Naruto thought he heard a squeaking sound. He paused, jaw wide open, and looked around. He couldn't sense any danger, but he began building up chakra just in case he had to fend off an attack. Yes all the nations had been allied and still were, but there were still rogue ninja and others who would take Naruto's bounty and the glory that came with his death. Heroes didn't die for nothing, even when they'd finished saving people.

The squeak sounded again and Naruto relaxed; he could recognise the sound of an animal when he heard one. The squeaks continued and Naruto looked around, spotting a small hole in the ground, sand caving in upon it slightly.

Naruto approached it slowly, smile fading from his face as he set eyes on the emaciated forms. Two small creatures were curled up, squeaking pitifully as their chests rose and fell harshly, the last of their energy being used just to keep them alive. Naruto turned one of the creatures over and almost gasped in amazement as he recognised the animal.

"Onbaa," he whispered, looking around for any signs of a mother. Looking at their state and the 'den', Naruto didn't see why there would be a parent around – onbaa were devoted parents and there had to be a reason why these two were abandoned.

Carefully, Naruto picked up the forms. They were hardly bigger than his hand and he cradled them, taking them back to his pack. He had some emergency rations and while he wasn't quite sure what sort of diet an onbaa needed, some nourishment would do them more good than none.

Naruto watered down some of the vitamin rations he had, forming a slushy mixture. The onbaa smelt it and lifted their heads slightly, squeaking excitedly, eyes wide and mouth open. With care, Naruto fed them slowly with his fingers, letting their toothless mouths suckle before he returned to the bowl.

"What happened to you?" he asked as he fed them, shaking his head. It wasn't surprising to see onbaa on this beach – they had been common on Uzushiogakure and when the village was destroyed, they had followed the Uzumaki clan over to the mainland. Still, to see motherless onbaa was an exceedingly rare thing indeed.

And there was no doubt their mother was dead. It wasn't in the onbaa's nature to leave its young. They would even seem to cheat death in order to protect their offspring and yet there had been no sign of the mother onbaa whatsoever.

"I'll take you back with me," Naruto promised the little creatures. "I'll help you until you can stand on your own feet and then you can come back here."

There wasn't much that he could do in the aftermath of the war, but he could make time to raise these onbaa. He'd done it before and could use a break from the endless questions and tasks thrust upon him.

"We'll stay here for the night then set off," Naruto said as he tucked the little onbaa into his top. They wriggled underneath and he shifted until they all settled down, warm and content.

**.**

The onbaa were small enough that they could both cling to his back at the same time and Naruto managed to return to Konoha in good time. No one commented on the creatures attached to him as he passed through the village, staring at him for a different reason entirely. He ignored the slightly awestruck looks and headed straight to Tsunade's office, waiting patiently for once.

"Shhh," Naruto said quietly as the onbaa on his back grizzled. They were hungry, but he needed to do more research onto what baby onbaa needed. He knew the basics from raising Onbu, but he wasn't sure he'd be able to lose these babies.

"Naruto," Tsunade said as he entered, sounding surprised. She raised an eyebrow at the dainty hands clinging to him and Naruto turned around slowly, showing off his prize.

"Onbaa?" she said, voice slightly higher than usual. Undeterred by the bandages covering most of her body, Tsunade stood and walked over to them, stroking the soft fur of the onbaa. "Where did you find them?"

"They were abandoned on a beach. I don't know why, but they're close to dying." He sat down, rearranging the onbaa to attach to his chest. They were still too young to have the strongest grip and while they held on tightly, Naruto was still able to overpower them.

"I've had reports…" Tsunade said, taking her seat once more and shaking her head sadly. "The war didn't just affect the humans, but the animals too. Arguably worse than it affected us… all the nations have been reporting dead animals and parents abandoning young. I wouldn't be surprised if the onbaa were involved in this too."

It made sense, but Naruto had never even considered animals would be affected by the war. How could he have considered it? He'd hardly been thinking about something as seemingly insignificant as the wildlife and yet now… now all he felt was an overwhelming guilt as he looked down at the creatures in his arms. How many others had suffered and not been found before they'd died?

"I want to save them," Naruto said firmly. "Is there somewhere out of the village I can rent? Just until they're old enough to get by, you can just say I need a holiday for a bit if anyone asks."

Tsunade looked at the onbaa and sighed.

"Not that I would reject your wishes, I know your mind's made up already. They're just two onbaa though, Naruto. What good will saving these two do when there's most likely countless others that have been abandoned too?" She patted the desk gently. "I'll look into finding you a small house with large gardens outside of the village. If need be I'll ask Yamato to construct you a house, though I'd rather not ask anything of him again." The guilt of not rescuing him until it was almost too late still hung over them, not that Yamato cared. He'd never been the sort to hold grudges anyway.

"Thanks Baa-chan," Naruto said softly. "What should I feed them?"

"A nutrient rich milk substitute I should imagine," Tsunade began, standing up slowly and walking over to one of her drawers. "Perhaps you could talk to Inuzuka Kiba? His family are known to be the best veterinarians in the village after all. They might not be experienced with onbaa, but they know their animals well enough."

He did just as Tsunade said, the assistant at the Inuzuka's vet clinic pulling out a large handbook and getting Naruto exactly what he needed. Apparently after the invasion of onbaa, they had researched a little into onbaas and their diet. It came in handy now, and Naruto returned to his home to feed the babies immediately.

"Here we go," he said softly, a bottle in each hand as the onbaa suckled enthusiastically. Naruto watched them thoughtfully, letting them cling onto him once they'd finished. They closed their eyes sleepily and drifted off to sleep.

"I'm sorry," he said quietly, petting their heads as he lay down on his bed. "I'm sorry our actions caused you pain, but it'll be alright now. I'll send some clones out to look for others like you too and I'll help you all." It as a broad promise, but one Naruto intended to keep. He felt responsible for these creatures and knowing that it was largely his fault (directly and indirectly) that they were now orphans, Naruto couldn't abandon them.

Without meaning to, Naruto drifted off to sleep, dozing softly until he heard someone enter his home. Knowing there was no way anyone other than a kage bunshin could get into his home, Naruto opened his eyes slowly, frowning as he saw ten or so clones shifting uncomfortable, each holding at least one onbaa. While they were in various stages of growth, none were larger than Naruto's torso, the largest one's toes reaching half-way down his buttocks.

"This many?" he asked quietly, the clones nodding as one. "Shit."

He'd need to return to the clinic to pick up some more milk, it seemed. And figure out what the onbaa liked the best; he needed to develop a reward system if they'd be living with him. They were wild, yes, but it didn't mean Naruto wanted to live in a house full of onbaa piss.

"I need to see Baa-chan," he said, shaking his head. For now, though, he'd have to do with sending a clone and hope that Tsunade could provide him with a house out of the village soon. He had around fifteen onbaa to care for now and there were still clones out there, scouring the beaches and scrubs of Konoha for orphans and injured babies.

It was going to be hard work, raising the onbaa, but Naruto was ready for anything.

**.**

Dark circles surrounded Naruto's eyes, but everything he'd been through in the past three days was worth it. He'd finally secured a home in the woods surrounding Konoha and fully moved in, including the specialised stands he'd created for the onbaa to cling to. They were adapted shinobi training tools, padded with sheep wool to create a comfortable resting place for the onbaa.

The number stood at seventeen now and Naruto cast a look around the downstairs room. It was open plan, nothing but wooden floors. A small kitchen sat upstairs opposite a toilet and bedroom, but they overlooked the downstairs. In short, it was a perfect onbaa nursery for night and the days they couldn't go outside. Well, it was far from perfect, but Naruto had limited options. The outside wasn't safe, and not just because most of the onbaa were too young to even feed themselves.

One of his clones had made a sickening discovery when it brought in the last onbaa. It had been bleeding and Naruto had taken it to the Inuzuka clinic immediately. Luckily they had just been superficial scratches, but it was the cause of them that had shocked Naruto.

Humans.

He understood how desperate people could get, but these people hadn't been desperate. All they'd wanted was the money they could get from onbaa parts, used either in beauty treatments or outdated medical practices… or, even worse, for trophy prizes. It had sickened Naruto that he'd chased the hunters away from the mother they'd been butchering and let her die with the dignity she had left, promising to take care of her child.

He ran a hand through his hair, picking up one of the smaller onbaa. It looked to be a week or so old and was unable to walk, unlike the larger ones. Naruto learnt that the onbaa could walk before they grew to an adult state, but preferred not to. Mothers could walk miles in search of food and it was easier to carry the baby than wait for it.

Besides, they were pretty pathetic walkers while still in their infancy. And the little ones could only roll on their backs and squeal for help when they wanted it. They were useless, but Naruto couldn't help but love them all the same.

"Dinner time, little ones!" he called and squeaks began to sound across the room. Naruto smiled and looked down at the milk-holder he had fashioned. It only held the bottles so he could disperse them easily, but it made a huge impact.

He made the rounds easily, hooking bottles onto the backs of the 'onbaa-mothers', making the babies work a little. For the weaned babies, Naruto had a mixture of berries, fish and nutrient paste, in bottles like the milk yet without the teat.

When he was finished, Naruto took a moment to watch the onbaa, smiling s they gargled to each other as they ate. They were unique creatures and Naruto felt a sense of satisfaction that they were all doing well.

The weather was nice and Naruto decided that he'd take the larger onbaa outside when they were done eating. The smaller ones would sleep, but a few of the larger ones could return to the wild soon and Naruto wanted to get them used to living outside before he let them go properly. Still, he wanted to fence off an area before he let them out. They weren't ready to wander off on their own just yet.

He was inspecting the land when he heard the sound of a twig cracking underfoot. Instantly, Naruto ducked down, looking for threats, and he frowned when he saw the figure of a man walking slowly through the trees. It was a man he knew well, though he would have liked to get to know him better.

Still, what was Uchiha Itachi doing out in the forest? He had been reluctant to return to Konoha, Naruto knew that much, but with little else to go on, Itachi had drifted back. He'd entered ANBU straight away, captaining a platoon when he'd passed all the relevant tests, and buried himself in work. He was hardly seen and it was easy to forget the pardoned shinobi.

Naruto hadn't forgotten. Well, not in the same way most of the village seemed to have. Just because Itachi wasn't parading around the village didn't mean he didn't exist and Naruto tracked his progress by sneaking files off of Tsunade's desk, frowning at the reports that concerned Itachi. He was detached and mechanical, they all said. An impeccable shinobi, but a deeply wounded man.

He watched silently, frowning as Itachi made a show of touching all the trees around him, muttering something to himself. Perhaps he'd finally cracked; there was enough reason for Itachi to lose himself to insanity after all.

Naruto jumped as Itachi turned to him. His eyes were dark and his face blank, but when he met Naruto's gaze, he smiled pleasantly, carrying on his way peacefully, running fingers over bark. It was strange, but Naruto shook his head and continued to set up the outside area. He had other things to worry about than what Uchiha Itachi was doing touching up trees.

**.**

Except Itachi kept doing it. Every day he was in the village (and Naruto kept a tight watch on Itachi's missions, something that earnt him raised eyebrows from Tsunade and badly-hidden, suggestive smiles from Shizune), Itachi made sure to walk past Naruto's onbaa sanctuary. Naruto still had no idea why and it was a week before he grabbed one of the little onbaa and strode forwards with a determined look on his face.

"Naruto-kun," Itachi greeted calmly as Naruto set the onbaa on his back. "What are you doing?"

Naruto didn't answer right away. Instead, he took a small step back, inspecting his handiwork. The onbaa gave a delighted cry, wiggling its lower half in excitement, like a dog would wag its tail.

"I think he likes you," Naruto said, finally looking at Itachi. "I thought you might like some company on your walk."

Itachi looked concerned for a moment, as if it was Naruto's sanity up for debate, not the man who walked through the forest stroking trees, but shrugged gently, careful not to dislodge the onbaa on his back.

"I'll be sure to return him before dinner," he said and then was walking onwards, leaving Naruto and the rest of the onbaa. Whether the one on his back would do any good, Naruto couldn't say, but he did know Itachi lived a lonely life. A little companionship, even in onbaa-form, would be good.

As promised, Itachi returned as dinner was cooking. The onbaa on his back was asleep and Naruto looked at it with a smile.

"Welcome back," he greeted and Itachi slipped his shoes off as he entered, touch gentle so he did not wake the baby on his back.

"What are your motives?" Itachi was nothing if not direct and Naruto paused in dishing out dinner. He looked down and shrugged.

"Let me feed the army and I'll talk to you properly. I've got some ramen if you want to share. Ichiraku ramen that is, not instant. Clones can be pretty useful." It wasn't so much an offer as Naruto telling Itachi that he was to stay for dinner, but Itachi seemed compliant.

Naruto handed out dinner – dry food for the older onbaa and milk again for the younger ones – and took the baby from Itachi. It had woken with a cry, nibbling the back of Itachi's black top as it waited impatiently for its food.

With a parent's eye, Naruto watched over the onbaa feeding. He pointed out different characteristics to Itachi and a few he expected to reach full adulthood within a week or so. Itachi listened, though Naruto couldn't tell if he was being polite or was genuinely interested in the onbaa

Eventually, they headed upstairs for their own dinner, the onbaa free for the night. They would settle down in the next few hours and sleep well through the night. In that respect Naruto knew he'd be suited to be an onbaa; once he was asleep there was nothing that could wake him short of a miracle.

"You walk around here often," Naruto began, looking at Itachi over the steam of their ramen bowls.

"I've walked around here longer than you've been saving onbaa," Itachi replied. "I hope you're not mistaking me for one of them."

The tone was relaxed and Naruto rolled his eyes.

"If I ever thought you needed saving or rescuing then I'd be an idiot. I'm not on some sort of redemption project to save you. The onbaa is partially because of guilt, but I'm not misplacing it with you. I'm just curious why you come around here every day you can, feeling the trees." Naruto risked a grin. "We keep these hobbies up and rumours will spread that we've cracked."

"The onbaa-man and the tree-toucher. An interesting combination," Itachi said with a smile.

Naruto was so used to Sasuke's blank face that he paused a little longer than necessary. Itachi was so unlike his brother and yet it was still strange to associate an Uchiha with emotions.

"I wanted to know what you were doing so I let you borrow one of my onbaa." He smiled and Itachi swallowed the noodles he had in his mouth.

"The mangekyō Sharingan causes a deteriorating illness. It led to blindness before my death," Itachi said it so calmly that Naruto wanted to laugh a little. How many people could boast that they'd died and returned? "And while it isn't apparent anymore, who knows when it could come back."

"So you're mapping Konoha?" Naruto said, but Itachi shook his head.

"Ame never had many trees and Kisame was hardly fond of stopping to inspect the flora. I like trees. I like walking." Itachi shrugged and Naruto narrowed his eyes. He really wasn't used to seeing Itachi so open and, well, free. "I don't expect I'll go blind again – I hardly use my mangekyō anymore and hope there will be little reason to use it extensively in the future – but I want to make the most of the trees that I can."

It was, perhaps, a little eccentric, but Itachi was hardly the most normal person to ever have existed. Naruto sat back and sighed a little.

"It's still a little odd," he said and Itachi outright laughed at that. It was the sound of someone who laughed very little and Naruto found himself smiling along, the pure joy in Itachi's laugh infecting him.

"You're surrounded by onbaa infants you care for twenty four hours a day and yet my walks are odd?" Itachi smiled, eyes crinkling. "There's little to do for someone who was brought up in war and fights for peace."

Naruto looked away. He knew exactly what Itachi meant and that made him a little uncomfortable.

"It's not that I... we," Itachi corrected after a slight pause and Naruto inclined his head in acknowledgement. "Feel useless. We're not useless, we never will be and there will always be a place for us."

Naruto glanced up at him, unsurprised that Itachi's dark eyes were locked on him alone.

"But we've always been aware of this greater enemy, this big looming threat. And yes, it is wonderful that threat is gone, but it leaves an emptiness in us. An emptiness that is hard to fill and one that leaves us a little… displaced." Itachi took a sip of the tea Naruto had given him a while ago. It was probably cold by now, but it didn't seem to bother Itachi.

"You have your onbaa and I have my walks to distract from it. That's simply how it is, because we are shinobi and we adapt." Itachi placed his tea back on the table and closed his eyes, relaxed.

"What do normal people do?" Naruto asked quietly and Itachi looked at him.

"There's no such thing as normal, Naruto-kun. Just who is able to adapt and who is left behind. We chose this, others choose others things. Some will, undoubtedly, take up things that are vices and others will simply bury whatever they feel away, but everyone copes somehow." Itachi smiled sadly and Naruto knew he was thinking of Sasuke, wherever he was now.

"Why is it I always feel so young compared to you? You're not that much older than me," Naruto grumbled instead, crossing his arms over his chest. "I know you've had a hard life, but really, you sound like an old man."

An idea began to form in Naruto's mind and he scoured over the information he'd gathered on Itachi's mission rota in his mind.

"Say, how long is it before your next mission?" he asked, knowing full well how long it was.

"I have two weeks off before my platoon is in rotation again," Itachi replied. "Then I'll be busy for two weeks."

Naruto had already known Itachi's team was on a two week on-two week off pattern, but he nodded all the same.

"Then you can help me with the onbaa," he decided and Itachi raised an eyebrow. "They're growing quickly and it's a hassle to use kage bunshin. What if the onbaa get a little rowdy and the clone dispels when it's holding one of the babies? The baby would fall to the floor and I can't have that."

Naruto shook his head. It had been a major concern of his when he'd first thought of using his kage bunshins to help with the onbaa. In the end he hadn't and while it let him sleep well at night, the job of looking after just under twenty onbaa babies was exhausting.

"You want my help to look after them?" Itachi repeated, sounding a little unsure.

"Want, need, begging, all the same really," Naruto muttered, bringing a light smile to Itachi's lips. "It would be a full-time gig though. You'd probably have to live here too, just to make things easier…"

"I have no attachment to my house anyway. It's just a room within the ANBU quarters." Naruto felt a pang of sadness for a moment as he imagined the room Itachi lived in. It would be barren, no photos of loved ones or friends, no little trinkets or memories. As blank as the mask Itachi wore on missions, far from the person the man was.

"I expect you here in the morning then. The onbaa wake around 7am, don't be late!" Naruto stood and clasped Itachi's arm when it was offered, sealing the deal.

Whether he liked it or not, Itachi would be joining the onbaa project. Naruto was satisfied with the outcome and watched Itachi leave, smiling widely at how everything had run tonight. While getting Itachi to work with him and the onbaa hadn't exactly been the plan, Naruto would have time to observe Itachi, discover what made him tick and maybe figure out the odd feeling in his own chest.

Emptiness felt like the right word for it, but Naruto wasn't happy with that. He'd lived a long time with emptiness clouding his soul and he wasn't about to tread that path again without a fight.

**.**

Itachi was prompt. Naruto hadn't even begun to prepare the morning feed when Itachi let himself in, announcing himself as onbaa babies squealed in excitement at the new face. There was a loud thump and Naruto looked down in worry, relaxing as he saw Itachi heading to the baby that had thrown itself off of its perch.

"Come on now," Itachi said gently. "No need to react like that. It's only me."

The onbaa gargled in response.

"Don't tell me you've forgotten already?" Itachi said, mock-hurt in his voice. Naruto watched him with amusement; he'd never thought Uchiha Itachi would be one to talk and interact with animals the way he was.

"We spent all day together yesterday," Itachi continued, seemingly oblivious to Naruto watching him. "Or perhaps you were running to greet me?"

Itachi stroked the onbaa behind the ear and it squealed happily, paws stretching out to try and grab Itachi.

"Let's get you breakfast first and then we'll see about a ride, okay?" The onbaa mewled sadly, but allowed Itachi to place it back on its perch, joining the others that had woken in calling for food.

"Alright, alright!" Naruto called, collecting bottles and moving down to hand them out. "Itachi's going to be helping me with you lot from now on. Be nice to him, he's a scary ninja."

Naruto handed Itachi some milk bottles, pointing out where they were to be delivered. He then set out on his own side, greeting the onbaa as he fed them. They were less like animals and more like children once you got to know them, each with their different personalities and likes.

"The weather's nice so I was going to take them all outside today. The little ones need to get used to it just as much as the ones that will be leaving us soon," Naruto said as he came to Itachi's side. The large doors to the house were open, easily revealing the entire area Naruto had set up for the onbaa to play in.

"How will you know when to release them?" Itachi asked and Naruto frowned before he remembered Itachi wouldn't have been in the village for the last onbaa incident.

"Trust me," he said with a grin. "You'll know."

When the onbaa had fed, they set about taking them outside. The larger ones were made to walk, Naruto not one to encourage laziness in those who would be fending for themselves soon, and the little ones were carried out on their perches. Well, almost all of them.

"Naruto," Itachi said quietly and Naruto looked up, tempted to laugh when he saw the onbaa clinging onto Itachi for dear life.

"I think that one likes you," he said, coming over and trying to pry the little troublemaker off of Itachi. It was old enough to cling tightly though and Naruto sighed.

"She doesn't want to come off," Naruto said. "Looks like you'll just have to put up with her."

Itachi didn't once complain, even when the onbaa pissed down his back. He simply asked Naruto to remind him to bring a change of clothes the next day and stroked the onbaa's head. Naruto watched in fascination at Itachi's gentle touch and the way he watched over their onbaa like a cautious parent.

Of course, Itachi would never father children. It wasn't due to the fact he was infertile or not attracted to women – Naruto had no idea about either of those things. It was easy to see though, when you knew Itachi and could look him in the eye, unafraid. Killing his family still weighed heavily on Itachi's shoulders and it was hard enough for him to see Sasuke, and he loved Sasuke to the ends of the earth.

No matter how much he'd love his child, it would destroy Itachi. Animals, on the other hand, were a different matter entirely. Whether he'd acknowledge it or not, Itachi had a lot of love to give and even more that he deserved to accept. Humans couldn't give him that. Onbaa on the other hand…

"So now you've had your first onbaa day," Naruto said over dinner, "how's it been?"

Itachi sipped his tea and smiled slightly.

"It's been an experience," he said. "Tiring, but rewarding."

Naruto inclined his head. They'd spent twenty minutes prying the onbaa that had grown attached to Itachi from his back. Itachi hadn't once complained, shaking his head as the onbaa turned her head away and hissed whenever they came close once she was back on her perch.

"Will you stay here from tomorrow?" Itachi looked up at the question and inclined his head slowly.

"If it works for you," he said and Naruto nodded in satisfaction. Itachi had been a major help, especially when the onbaa decided they'd prefer to climb over the fence and practice their running skills. The little buggers were fast when they wanted to be.

"I've really appreciated your help today," he said as Itachi made to leave. Itachi nodded once and then left, leaving Naruto alone with seventeen lightly-snoring bodies below him.

There were worse places to be.

**.**

Looking after the onbaa wasn't the easiest job. Some days they were all uncooperative and Naruto wanted to shout at them until they listened. He never did though, it wasn't fair on them, and instead he would sigh and sit down, talk to them all rationally and then take his anger out on Itachi when they sparred.

The sparring was a new development, one that had started on Itachi's third day. Itachi had announced he needed to spar and, well, that had been that. Even better, the onbaa seemed to enjoy watching and it was one of the very few things that captured all of their attention.

The older ones were beginning to get a bit grizzly with the others and Naruto and Itachi had taken to watching them at all hours. Naruto had warned Itachi they might be changing soon and that they would both need to deal with the onbaa when that happened - just in case. They didn't want to hurt any of the babies, after all.

The first change happened a week after Itachi started living with them. Naruto had been on watch and he'd recognised the signs immediately. He woke Itachi and scooped the red-eyed onbaa up, taking it out into the darkness of the night where it could be free.

"We'll stay back. Hopefully he'll just take off to the forest," Naruto said quietly, crouching by the doors. He'd placed himself and Itachi between the changing onbaa and the ones inside, knowing they'd be able to stop him before he hurt any of the others.

The change happened suddenly, the onbaa literally shifting magically. Naruto wasn't sure how they managed it but it was amazing to watch. His eyes cleared as it stood on his hind legs and he looked over to Naruto and Itachi, nodding his head once before setting off for the forest, sniffing the air and growling to himself.

"He went quietly," Naruto said, a little in awe. It was one thing to raise them, but an entirely different matter to see one grow and return to its natural habitat. He hoped for the onbaa's safety and vowed that he'd try to find them all when he was done setting them free again.

"They're wonderful creatures," Itachi said, voice thick with emotion.

Naruto turned to him and his heart skipped a beat. In the moonlight, Itachi looked serene. The tiredness he still carried and the loneliness than hung over him was gone, hidden by the soft smile on his lips. He turned to Naruto, eyes widening in surprise as they locked gazes.

"I couldn't have done it without you," Naruto said softly, eyes never leaving Itachi's. He felt a hand brush his gently and then catch his fingers.

"Thank you," Itachi said quietly, squeezing Naruto's hand before he vanished inside.

Naruto was left, unsure of what he'd just felt and why his hand felt suddenly so warm and full of life when, in reality, it was still just a hand, regardless of who had touched it.

**.**

Five more onbaa left in the period before Itachi left for his two week stint on mission duty, leaving Naruto to manage eleven onbaa. It was still a hard task, they were much more mobile now, but he managed well. Still, the lack of Itachi was felt strongly, especially when Naruto would turn over at night, expecting Itachi to be sleeping on his own futon. Instead, the space was empty, futon packed away in the cupboard.

They hadn't exactly grown close. Close was the wrong word for it. They didn't talk much, more to the onbaa than each other, but they worked well together and Naruto felt something between them.

Okay, so there had always been  _something_ between them, but this something was more than just the relationship between enemies or the partnership of shinobi. This was something deeper, a connection Naruto hadn't felt before.

He sighed and looked to the door, smiling at the people there. Sakura crouched by the side of one of the larger onbaa while Sai held his sketchpad, fingers already itching to paint the little creatures.

"Thanks for this," Naruto said as he greeted them, gesturing for the onbaa to follow him outside. He'd asked Sai to paint them, to form proper accounts in Konoha's history, just in case someone else needed to help them once Naruto was gone. Paper, unlike people, could live forever, after all.

"They're very sweet," Sai said, completely honest and Naruto smiled.

"They're characters," he replied and led them outside, letting the onbaa free roam and sitting down on the steps at the front of their house. Sai sat apart from them slightly, setting up what he needed to draw.

"So," Sakura began, tapping her fingers against her knee. "I heard you enlisted some help with these little fellows?"

Naruto nodded, not sure what Sakura was expecting. While she knew of his innocence, she wasn't exactly best friends with Itachi and probably more inclined to hate him than like him. Naruto couldn't be sure though; he'd kept away from the village as much as he could.

"But… Uchiha Itachi? Really?" She didn't sound angry, but she didn't sound particularly happy. Naruto risked a glance at her.

"What's wrong with Uchiha Itachi?" he said and Sakura sighed, as if the world was asking her to embark on a great quest.

"Nothing, not really. He's a remarkable man, a nice man too, and while I wouldn't say I trust him just yet, he deserves a lot more than what he's been offered in life." Naruto frowned, confused as to what Sakura's problem with Itachi was.

"It's just…" she sighed again. "He doesn't deserve to be a replacement."

Naruto started at that and looked at Sakura with wide eyes. She couldn't really think that he'd asked Itachi just because of Sasuke.

"I didn't ask for his help because of Sasuke," he said, voice incredulous. "I respect Itachi a lot and want to get to know him for him."

"I'm only checking," Sakura said gently. "I know you're not the sort to do that, but I just want Itachi to be happy." She gave an odd chuckle. "It's ridiculous, but I feel responsible for how he is now. I mean… we never did anything when it came to Sasuke and Sasuke… well Sasuke killed him."

"You feel responsible for Itachi's happiness because our teammate killed him?" Naruto repeated, just making sure he could grasp the situation. This conversation was reminding him how confusing Sakura could be at times. He'd never understand women and had given up trying a long, long time ago.

"It sounds ridiculous when you say it like that," she said, pouting. "But… yes. And for what he's sacrificed for our village. If anyone deserves happiness then it's Itachi. I just want to make sure you know what you're doing and it's for him, not for Sasuke."

Naruto narrowed his eyes, not exactly sure what Sakura was hinting at, but she had the look in her eyes she got when she was hinting to something deeper. Something women tended to do a lot around Naruto, given that he wasn't the smartest person in the village.

"Sasuke's gone to sort his head out. He'll always be my best friend, but he's definitely not Itachi. They're not even that alike when you get to know them; Itachi will hold an in depth conversation and talks to the onbaa!" Naruto laughed and then tugged on Sakura's sleeve, pointing to the lone onbaa who had refused to come outside.

"She's attached herself to Itachi. She refuses to step outside unless he's there too. Luckily she's still eating and sleeping normally, but she loves him to death." Naruto waved his fingers at the onbaa and she huffed, turning away from him dramatically. "He's a good man, regardless of his relationship with Sasuke."

Sakura was silent for a moment before she leant over to Naruto and kissed his check softly. None of the old crush feelings came back, instead a warm heat settled in Naruto's stomach and he smiled, treasuring Sakura's gift. This was how it felt to be loved.

"He'll take care of you too," she said and Naruto shrugged. "Now introduce me to some of your little clan, they all seem very excitable."

**.**

Naruto stirred in his sleep and opened his eyes immediately as he felt a disturbance in the chakra wards he had set around the perimeter of his land. He relaxed a second later as the person crossed them; there was only one who would be able to cross that easily.

Instead of getting up to greet Itachi, Naruto rolled back over and listened out for him. It was likely Itachi had just got back from reporting to Tsunade and would probably head straight to bed. Naruto didn't want to disturb him, any questions he had or greetings could wait until the morning.

He started when he heard a thump and resisted the urge to see what was happening downstairs. Judging by the delighted gargles, Naruto surmised that Itachi's little admirer had noticed the object of her affection was back and he heard Itachi shush the little onbaa quietly.

He remained downstairs for a long while and Naruto couldn't contain his curiosity much longer. His face broke into a soft smile as he looked over the banister and down to see Itachi and the onbaa. She was cuddled to his chest, both of them sleeping peacefully.

Naruto greeted Itachi warmly in the morning, nodding as Itachi handed the blanket Naruto had covered them with in the night.

"Not long before the rest of these troublemakers set off into the wide world," Naruto said, looking over the six large onbaa surrounding Itachi. They were snuffling him, all delighted he had returned.

"What about this little one?" Itachi said, gesturing to the one still attached to his chest.

"I'm not sure," Naruto admitted. He pushed aside the largest onbaa, scratching behind its ear as he sat down, allowing a few to push him and one to climb into his lap. "She's underweight and I was wondering if you could get Inuzuka Hana to look at her. She could have an illness we're not aware of."

Itachi hummed softly, eyes raking over the onbaa. She gargled a reply and Itachi nodded.

"I'll come back later then," he said and Naruto watched him go, still every bit as refined as he ever was, regardless of the extra passenger on board. Naruto envied him, shaking his head a few moments later, wondering why he was still staring after Itachi.

"Come on," he said to the onbaa around him. "Let's go play outside."

Playing outside was a welcome distraction. Naruto could focus on the onbaa, help to strengthen their muscles and  _not_ on the way his heart had sped up slightly when he was in the presence of Itachi.

One of the onbaa head-butted Naruto and he pushed it away with a frown. He didn't have  _feelings_ for Itachi, not romantic ones at least. Itachi was a friend, though no one said you couldn't be friends with someone you were interested in or romantically involved with.

"I don't have  _feelings,_ " Naruto hissed out, the onbaa that had head-butted him grunting in reply. It pushed his shoulder, giving a toothy grin, and Naruto rolled his eyes.

"I'd do anything for you, don't worry. It's just humans that are the pain." The onbaa mumbled something, rolling over and falling in Naruto's lap instead, staring at him with wide eyes.

"He's not like anyone else," Naruto began slowly, though why he was explaining this to an onbaa was beyond his reasoning. At least the little creature couldn't reply back (though little was a loose term at this point in time).

"He's lived his entire life sacrificing himself for someone or another and something like that… something like that could change people." Naruto sighed. "But it hasn't changed him, not really. Itachi… he's like the forest. Unmoving and unrelenting, yet welcoming and  _home_."

The onbaa gave a low bark and Naruto narrowed his eyes.

"Shut up," he said and the onbaa gave a little onbaa-smile. "I don't have feelings for Itachi."

**.**

"I'm back," Itachi called out as he entered the house. It was dinner time, almost, and Naruto looked down, waving a hand as he prepared food for the little crowd that had gathered at the base of the stairs.

"It's a good thing they haven't mastered stairs yet," Naruto commented as Itachi set the onbaa he was carrying down and pushed through the others. "Imagine that! We'd have crowds following us all day."

One of the onbaa gave a cry of outrage.

"It's not a bad thing! But your parents need a bit of peace!" He turned back to his task, ignoring the feeling that came with addressing himself and Itachi as parents.

"She's fine," Itachi offered up as Naruto continued on in silence. "Inuzuka-san thinks she was a runt, hence the size difference and slower development. She also said…" Itachi paused and Naruto looked at him.

"Ahh, that would make sense," Naruto commented, waiting for Itachi to finish.

"She suggested that we keep this onbaa instead of letting her free. Inuzuka-san said she wouldn't stand much of a chance if she returned to her home territory." Itachi's voice was soft and light, but there was a hidden quality Naruto understood all too well.

Of course he'd contemplated keeping the onbaa. They were such little characters and creatures that infected their way into his heart. He'd been able to give Onbu back to his mother easily because he'd  _had_  a mother to return to and learn from. These onbaa had nothing and if Naruto had made a mistake somewhere along the line then it would be the onbaa that suffered.

Returning to the wild was the best thing though. They weren't pets, they were living, wild animals. Naruto had experience of how wild they could be first hand and he couldn't imagine taking a fully grown male onbaa around the village. What damage it would cause and who it could harm would be unthinkable, but what would happen to the onbaa? People wouldn't let something that hurt or damaged to live in close quarters.

But this onbaa, Itachi's onbaa, was different. Did she really not stand a chance in the wild? Was it even their place to decide? She had attached herself to Itachi, did she know she'd not have a chance if she returned to her birthplace?

"What do you think?" Naruto said instead of answering the questions himself. Itachi was a far more practical person, had had more reason to use his mind than Naruto over the years, and Naruto wanted to hear his thoughts.

It took a while before Itachi replied. They finished preparing dinner, served and got it all cleared away before someone broke the silence. It wasn't uncomfortable though, silence never was between them, and Naruto had learnt patience a while back. It was easier to exercise this patience when a war wasn't being waged.

"I've seen what happens when an onbaa matures," Itachi said as they started their own dinner. It was a simple fish and rice dish, green tea and water to match. Itachi sipped at his tea and looked at Naruto.

"For all we know, she could mature as well as the others. Her attachment worries me but… ultimately if she wants to return to the wild then I think we should allow her." Naruto nodded at the words, taking a bite of fish. It was the conclusion he'd come to as well; the onbaa knew what was best for them.

"Should she stay though… I don't know how it would work. She has a sweet temperament, if leaning towards jealousy now and again can be forgiven, but when they change, it's hard to say." Itachi looked down at his food and began to eat.

"Then we can leave it to time," Naruto said with a smile and Itachi nodded, smiling for the first time since he'd returned from the vets.

Not that Naruto was paying attention or anything. Of course not.

**.**

It wasn't long before Itachi's-onbaa was the last onbaa left. The house seemed empty and Naruto decided that enough was enough. He'd decided to keep the house, something he liked to tell Itachi a lot, just in case Itachi decided to stay (he hated to think of Itachi alone in a barren ANBU barrack after all), and had decided that furnishing it would be the best idea.

"So the kitchen will have to stay upstairs, bathroom too. I'll keep the dining area as a dining area, have a bedroom downstairs – a proper bedroom, no more pushing tables back to sleep! – and an office I think." Naruto narrowed his eyes and looked at his list. "I'll have another room – for guests maybe? And then… well I'm not sure."

Itachi looked over at him. "It sounds good," he commented, though Naruto caught the slight hesitation.

"It can be your room if you want. Fuck the guests, you're more important." The words practically fell out of Naruto's mouth and he focused on his list more intensely than ever before, hoping Itachi wouldn't hear the desperation in his voice and would just accept the words at face value.

Things were never that simple though.

"You'd let me stay here?" Itachi said. Naruto risked a glance and was surprised to see the genuine shock on his face.

"Well I was thinking more along the lines of you living here permanently, but if you prefer that shitty ANBU room then you can stop over whenever." He smiled, leaning back in his chair as Itachi's eyes widened.

"You helped to raise our onbaa and I think of you as a friend," more than a friend, his mind added, but Naruto pushed it down quickly. "I like your company and I think it's a terrible shame you live where you do."

He ran a hand through his hair. "Plus it fills that empty space."

Naruto saw the jolt pass through Itachi's body at his words and wondered why they had such a profound effect. He didn't move as Itachi took a step forward, then another and another, until he was standing next to Naruto, looking at him with narrowed eyes.

"You need to tell me if you really mean that or not," Itachi said and Naruto frowned.

"Of course I mean it. I don't say shit I don't mean," he said, snorting. Then, a moment later, his world came to a standstill as Itachi leant in, kissing him deeply, barely touching his shoulders as he leant in.

"Do you still mean it?" Itachi said as he pulled back.

Of course Naruto wouldn't have been able to hide his crisis from Itachi. This was Uchiha Itachi, a man who had lived years with his main job being to notice stuff. Of course he'd see when Naruto's eyes trailed over his body. He'd noticed everything, how had Naruto ever thought otherwise?

"I do," Naruto said, standing and placing his hands on Itachi's forearms, pulling him close. "But this isn't some pitying thing."

Instead of answering, Itachi kissed him, a gentle touch of lips before he pulled back again, eyes challenging as he glanced downstairs. Naruto followed his gaze, glad of the rain outside and the closed doors. Their onbaa was asleep downstairs and they were free to their own devices.

Itachi pushed Naruto against the table, Naruto hopping up onto it and wrapping his legs around Itachi's waist. His shirt was thrown over his shoulder as he met Itachi's lips, slipping a hand against his trousers. Itachi was hard and Naruto grinned into the kiss.

They didn't need to think about anything, though they'd been dancing around the issue – unaware – for weeks now. Naruto had always admired Itachi, he'd dispatched Sasuke so smoothly and combatted Jiraiya just as easily (though he and Kisame had been fleeing from Jiraiya, but still) back when they'd first met. Unbound, that admiration had morphed into attraction then to desire and now… well now Naruto could finally act upon it.

Breathing heavily, Naruto pushed his hips outwards until he could rub against Itachi. A puff of warm air met Naruto's cheek as Itachi pulled to the side, impatient and with good reason. They'd been waiting too long and Naruto grunted as he sipped a hand into Itachi's trousers, triumphant when Itachi's breath stiffened.

They kissed again, sloppy and unabashed, as if they'd been doing this for years. Itachi's cock was a comfortable, needy weight in Naruto's hand and he gave a gentle squeeze, going to pull the trousers down completely when Itachi broke away, shaking his head with narrowed eyes and biting Naruto's lip gently. He pulled at the lip and Naruto shuddered in anticipation. The Sharingan wasn't the only dangerous thing Itachi could use his eyes for; this was his ultimate attack. Bedroom eyes.

Naruto moaned as Itachi mouthed his cock through the fabric of his trousers. He was cursing his need to wear underwear when he felt the fabric of his clothes push down slightly, Itachi silently asking him to move his hips to remove the trousers. Naruto wasted no time, lying flat on the kitchen table and letting Itachi slip him free of trousers and pants.

His dick throbbed as Itachi came closer, skirting over his erection and kissing the juncture of his hip, licking and teasing.

"Fuck you," Naruto said, voice barely a whimper as he sat up on his elbows, exactly at the same time as Itachi wrapped a hand around his cock and began to move, pumping slowly.

"What was that?" Itachi said, smirking as his tongue ran along the underside of Naruto's cock. He kept his hand steady, eyes even steadier, and Naruto let his arms collapse, head banging on the table as Itachi lowered his mouth.

It wasn't as if Naruto had never had sex before. He had, good sex too, but whether it was because he hadn't gotten any in a while (sex wasn't exactly a priority when you were in a war, after all) or because (yes he'd admit it) he really,  _really_ , liked Itachi, well he couldn't say. Either way, having Itachi between his legs, tongue dancing on his dick and mouth working in perfect partnership with hand… Naruto was in heaven.

He pushed up again, Itachi moving back and licking his lips. Naruto ran a hand against Itachi's jaw, kissing him deeply before coming to the edge of the table.

"Kneel," he said softly, voice firm. Itachi did as he was told, smiling and opening his mouth. Naruto slid off of the table, guiding his cock as Itachi moved forwards, wrapping his lips around the tip. Itachi then stilled, sliding his tongue out as Naruto moved, slowly to begin with and then increasing pace.

Itachi was warm and willing and, as Naruto came, he swallowed thickly, cleaning Naruto with his tongue after and kissing him gently. Naruto wrapped an arm around his shoulders and moved them back until they were against the table.

"Let me return the favour," Naruto whispered, pulling back as Itachi gave a huff of laughter.

"I'm afraid I already came," Itachi admitted, no hint of shame or disappointment in his eyes. And why should there be? It made Naruto proud to think he could cause such an effect and he grinned.

"I'm going to clean up. It's quite late already," Itachi said, moving away already. Naruto caught his hint and began pushing away the table, gathering their bedding and laying it out, right against each other this time. They could even share covers tonight, something that sped Naruto's heart rate up and put a wide smile on his face.

Itachi came back naked, looking as casual as he did with clothes on. He smiled at Naruto and climbed under the covers, pulling Naruto down a moment later.

"Do you think human sex scares onbaa?" Itachi said, breaking the comfortable silence they had lapsed into. Rain continued to fall outside and they heard a rogue snore from downstairs.

"I don't plan to let her watch us having sex, thank you very much," Naruto muttered, shuffling closer until his head was resting on Itachi's chest. Itachi was warm and comfortable, a perfect pillow for him.

Itachi was silent and then, "So you'd be happy to continue like this?"

Naruto shifted slightly, kissing Itachi's side as he pushed himself up on one elbow, looking down to Itachi.

"Of course. It's not like I haven't been having a slight crisis over it all," he admitted, causing Itachi to raise an eyebrow. "Anyone would be superficially attracted to you, but spending time with you? Actually being around you? Knowing you? I've grown to like you. A lot." Naruto smiled a little nervously, wondering if he'd originally thought wrong and this was just a casual hook up.

Sure he'd be happy with a casual hook up, but he would have preferred to know that from the start so he could enjoy the moment to the fullest.

"Good," Itachi said with a smile, looking towards the ceiling instead of Naruto. "I've always liked you."

He frowned. "Not in a sexual way until recently," he continued and Naruto laughed, flopping back down and sighing.

"Well I'm all for this new development in our relationship," Naruto said, glancing over to Itachi. "Though I understand if you don't want to. It'll be hard living together and… well…"

Itachi turned his head and smiled again. It was such a heart-warming smile, one that made Naruto feel tingly from head to toe. He couldn't help but smile in return, roll over and kiss Itachi until his smile faded and he was more preoccupied with using his lips for something else.

**.**

It wasn't awkward. Okay, so it  _was_ awkward, but then again it was always going to be a little bit awkward the morning after, but it would have been less awkward if they hadn't woken up to an onbaa flinging herself on top of them.

At once, Itachi rolled to the side and Naruto shot up, arms wrapping around the intruder as Itachi's Sharingan flashed. A beat later and they looked at each other, looked at their captive and then laughed, Itachi sneaking back under the covers and stroking the onbaa's fur.

"I thought they couldn't climb stairs," Naruto muttered, running a hand through his hair and yawning. "You nearly gave me a heart attack."

A large crash outside sounded and Naruto suddenly understood why the onbaa was here. All of the onbaa had been scared of storms, but they'd huddled together and never needed reassurance from Naruto or Itachi. Now, there was no one but humans for this onbaa to turn to and she whimpered, shivering as lightning flashed and another roll of thunder sounded.

"I'm going to grab some pants," Naruto said, standing up and heading to the clothes drawers. He was fine being with Itachi and naked, but he didn't feel like facing a scared onbaa without clothes. He noticed that Itachi did the same, a little put out when Itachi also shrugged on a pyjama shirt.

"Do you think we should name her?" Naruto said from the kitchen, pouring glasses of water for him and Itachi. "I mean… it's pretty certain she'll be staying with us, but even so, I named Onbu and he was fine to return to the wild."

Naruto padded over to Itachi and the onbaa, kneeling down and stroking the onbaa's fur. She half-closed her eyes, leaning into his touch.

"We could call her Sasuke," Naruto said with a straight face. It took just a glance to see the deadpan expression on Itachi's face before he broke into laughter, falling back onto his bed and dragging the onbaa with him, snuggling her and letting her run her paws on his face, bashing him for fun.

"While I would love to see my little brother's face when he learns we named a female onbaa after him, his ego wouldn't handle it." Itachi smiled. "Plus she needs a brand new name. A brand new name for a brand new onbaa."

"How about Onbe?" Naruto suggested, going with the theme he'd picked for his first Onbu. They didn't need human names, onbaa were onbaa. Their names were only for human use, really. Itachi and himself would never be able to tame an onbaa fully, but they could be friends with her.

"Do you like the name Onbe?" he asked the onbaa and she snorted, waddling over to Itachi instead, grinning back at Naruto as Itachi gave her a cuddle.

"Onbe it is then," Naruto said and rolled onto his back, stretching.

They spend the rest of the early morning like that, waiting for the storm to subside and then the rain to stop. At one point, Onbe fell asleep and Itachi soon followed her. Naruto watched them fondly, wondering how he'd ever been able to convince himself he had no feelings for Itachi.

One thing was true though; he'd found his little family. No matter what, he'd always have this moment in his life and that was enough for him to forget the lingering darkness of the war. He settled into his covers and closed his yes.

They woke a little before midday when Onbe started running around, crying out for food. Naruto set to making her a late breakfast, leaving Itachi to cook for the humans. They were just sitting down to eat, Onbe granted permission to join them at the table since she'd climbed up the stairs herself and would be a nightmare otherwise, when someone called out from below.

"Sorry to intrude!" a woman's voice called out and Naruto looked over the bannister in surprise, calling for Shizune to enter.

"Do you want something to eat?" Naruto called out as Shizune took off her shoes. "We're just about to start lunch, come and join us!"

Shizune declined the offer of food, but took some tea and joined them. She smiled at Onbe, turning to Naruto.

"Tsunade-sama asked me to come and warn you that a few poachers have been spotted in the Fire country. She's not sure if they know about your onbaa, but we all wanted to warn you." Shizune took a sip of tea, smiling again at Onbe.

Naruto frowned, unsure what to think of this new bit of information. Poachers were bad news all round and he hated to think that his onbaa were facing a deadly challenge just when they'd gone back to the wild. Naruto liked to think that they would be able to take on poachers, but he'd seen the damage that could be done and if hunters knew how to deal with an onbaa then there was nothing that would stop them.

"Tsunade-sama's sent a few teams out to track them. Mainly genin who need to get a little more experience, but they're all good teams." She sighed. "There's also another reason why I came out here, one that we're all a little uncomfortable with."

Shizune glanced between Naruto and Itachi, focusing on Naruto.

"People want to know what exactly you're doing out here. Tsunade-sama understands, but people are beginning to question whether this is the best thing or not." Shizune bit her lip. "There's also people wondering why you're living with Itachi-san too."

Though she was clearly not one of the people who thought that way, Shizune looked uncomfortable by what she was saying. Naruto sighed; in all honesty, he'd been expecting this from the first day he'd started living out here. It had only been a matter of time before people began to wonder where he was and why he was out here, though he didn't owe the ones asking questions anything.

"What do I need to do to get them off of my back?" Naruto said, rolling his eyes before nodding to Itachi. Silently, they swapped some of Naruto's rice for a piece of mackerel, ignoring the look Shizune shot them, both intrigued and suspicious.

"A few missions, low-key in terms of skill, but high profile. Tsunade-sama was thinking about putting you on some paperwork duty once a week or so to build up your knowledge of everything a Hokage needs to do." Shizune smiled. "It might also help if Itachi was seen outside of ANBU, interacting in the village."

"I have no wish to parade through the village just to keep up appearances," Itachi said, setting his empty bowl down. "I've done a lot of playing up for the village and learnt that one cannot always be the image people want one to be."

Itachi sipped at his tea. Naruto watched the steam rise around his face, curling over his thin nose and high cheekbones. Dark shadows lined his eyes and Naruto watched as Itachi was unwavering in his gaze, staring solidly at Shizune and she nodded sadly.

"I can't say that I blame you," she said, setting her cup down and rising. "Just keep an eye out for your onbaa. Hiding away sometimes brings unwanted attention and people start to pry. With poachers on the lookout now, I'd hate to think of anything happening to her."

She blushed and continued. "Not that I think you should do what the village wants," she hastened to correct. "Just that I… we all want you to be happy."

Shizune left after that, wishing them well. Naruto sighed and leant back until he was lying down, legs still crossed.

"What do you think, Onbe?" he said and Onbe slammed her paws on the table, indignant expression on her face. She looked at Naruto and then threw herself backwards, mimicking him.

"I know my table manners are appalling and you haven't had any of your treats today, but come sit by me and give me some advice." Onbe stood and shuffled over to him, sitting on his chest. She was heavy and Naruto struggled to breathe as she adjusted herself.

"So you have no ideas, huh?" Naruto said as he scratched behind Onbe's ears. He stretched his legs out under the table, smiling as he felt Itachi's hands on his ankles, moving to absentmindedly massage his feet.

"How about you?" Naruto said, looking at Itachi for a moment before Onbe shoved her face into his line of view.

"I think it would be a great opportunity for you to work with Tsunade-sama," Itachi commented, working down the centre of Naruto's foot. "As for me… I was going to retire from ANBU anyway."

Naruto sat up at that. Itachi said it so casually, so flippantly, as if it meant nothing when it really meant everything.

"It's not that I think it's a bad idea," Naruto began openly, "but ANBU's pretty much been your entire life."

It wasn't, as he said, as if Naruto thought Itachi leaving ANBU was a bad idea. In fact he thought it a very good idea, but Itachi had been in the ANBU forces since he was young, the Akatsuki after that. ANBU was, literally, his life and if Itachi had nothing else to fall back on, there was a good chance he'd be forever lost to them all.

Itachi smiled softly.

"It's not like that, though I appreciate your concern. It's always been on my mind, but I'd love to become an instructor of some kind. Whether it's at the Academy or within the interrogation unit, I have no preference." His eyes crinkled as he smiled and Naruto's heart warmed. "It's just time I was around people more."

Naruto stroked Onbe's fur slowly, mulling over the words. He nodded and hugged Onbe tightly.

"Just so long as I don't have to share you too much," he muttered, heart pounding as the words escaped him.

Itachi laughed gently. "That could never happen," he assured Naruto, nodding his head warmly.

Onbe rubbed her head against Naruto's cheek and he ducked his head into her fur, just in case there was a hint of red to his cheeks.

**.**

Days flew by and Naruto settled into what he considered the most boring job in the world (he was on organisation duty in one of the archives – not even the assistant there enjoyed pulling out dusty tomes and categorising things).

Itachi moved jobs too, taking on a teaching position within the specialist unit. He specialised in genjutsu, but found himself teaching extra sessions on the side when his pupils sought him out. Already he was gaining a reputation for being one of the best teachers, his pupils taking on board skills and living up to the Uchiha Itachi name.

It was only natural that they had forgotten about the threat of poachers. Onbe was still with them – still young and unchanged – but it wasn't until Itachi came home one day that Naruto realised something was very wrong.

"I thought you were out walking," Naruto said, standing up hurriedly as soon as he noticed Onbe wasn't on Itachi's back. It wasn't unusual to come home to an empty house on Itachi's days off; he enjoyed taking Onbe for walks and she loved them too. Still, Onbe wasn't here, nor was she with Itachi.

Panic began to creep in and clutch at Naruto's chest.

"There was an emergency strategy meeting and Tsunade-sama asked that I give some advice." Itachi frowned, looking at Naruto a moment later with wide eyes.

"Shit," Naruto said, practically throwing himself down the stairs and pulling on shoes, just as Itachi slipped his own feet back into his own. "What time did you leave?"

"Early afternoon so she can't have been gone long. Were your wards affected or could she have just escaped the property?" Itachi said as he opened the door and they set off, eyes raking over the ground in the semi-darkness dusk brought.

"The wards were unaffected, but they weren't perfect. If they're poachers, they know how to get past wards. I never warded against animals," Naruto muttered, cursing his lack of foresight. How could he have been so stupid?

"Stop blaming yourself. If it's anyone's fault, then it's mine." Itachi took a deep breath and turned to Naruto, placing a hand on each shoulder, steadying him. "What matters is that we get Onbe back safely. I trust you, you love her as much as I do."

Naruto nodded, clasping Itachi's hand before he moved off.

"I'll take the south, you take north. You're better at navigating the forest so I'll head out of it, see if they've moved on enough." It was true – Itachi's time stroking the trees could be put to use now, just like Naruto's speed.

And what speed it was. He reached the outskirts of the forest, back in onbaa territory now, in under thirty minutes. He instantly began looking around for signs of onbaa and signs of traps, failing. It was fully dark now and Naruto was about to run back into the forest when he saw smoke rising in the air. It could be someone who had seen Onbe or, better still, the poachers themselves.

Naruto moved towards them slowly, like a predator stalking its prey. He couldn't afford to take any chances with these men – they had Onbe and he needed Onbe to be safe. Without Onbe, Naruto would be nowhere now, just staring at the sea, lost. He wouldn't have Itachi even, not had the courage to talk to the man walking through the forest and certainly never have had the courage to kiss Itachi the way he did now.

Onbe was precious and these poachers were going to discover just how I felt to take something away from Naruto that he loved.

"The adults coming from that place were stronger than average too," Naruto heard as he crouched low. "One of them took out half of us, but we managed to get the bastard in the end!" laughter met the man's words and Naruto's eyes opened in horror as the speaker brandished an adult onbaa head.

It wasn't just any onbaa head though. Naruto recognised it as one of  _his_  onbaa. It belonged to a particularly feisty male, one who had made sure to bump heads with Naruto gently before he'd walked off into the wild. Strong and kind-hearted, that onbaa deserved more respect than these monsters had shown him. He'd never deserved to be butchered, skinned and then had his head paraded as a trophy.

Naruto wanted to slit their throats, but these were overly-proud men, cowardly men. They'd fight dirty.

The bushes stirred next to Naruto and he saw Itachi. He wasn't surprised that Itachi was here, but the look of pure fury on Itachi's face was enough for even Naruto to flinch back slightly. Itachi had evidently heard of their onbaa's fate and Naruto wondered how many others had died under these poachers' hands.

"The babies are easier to get though. Lured it out with old onbaa pelts, caught it and we'll get a good profit from it!" Naruto's eyes whipped around the camp, searching for where they were keeping Onbe. Itachi signalled and Naruto frowned, looking over to the edge of the fire where Onbe sat in a tiny cage.

A poacher sat next to her and he brought the cage over into the light a little more. Her fur was dirty with mud and blood, blood that Naruto hoped belonged to the humans and not her. She reached out to scratch at her captors, but was rewarded with a sharp jab in the side with a sharpened stick, and that was the last straw for Naruto.

"Gentlemen," he said calmly as he rose from the bush. Onbe was silent and that unnerved Naruto. She'd never been this silent before. "You seem to have a few rare artefacts on your person. Mind if I take a look?"

The poachers shuffled and looked to the man holding the onbaa head, the leader most likely. Naruto raised an eyebrow and the men stiffened as Itachi rose too, entering the light with vermillion eye, the fire flickering in the sharingan's depths.

"Who the fuck are you?" the lead-poacher said and Naruto tilted his head back slightly, looking down at the man.

"I'm the one who raised the onbaa you took the head of and the one you hold captive over there. I rescued them after you butchered their mothers and left them to die. I'm the one that loved them while you were simply interested in what price they'd fetch on the black market." Naruto balled his hands into fists, fighting down the urge to let Kurama's chakra rip through them all. Let them have the former malice of the Kyūbi no kitsune, Naruto thought. Let it tear at them and haunt them for their life.

"I'm taking my friend back," Naruto said. "And taking whatever animal parts you've collected. You don't deserve to even be alive," he added and moved forwards, in perfect synchronisation with Itachi.

They didn't kill any of the poachers, just disabled their weapons and left them unconscious. Itachi moved over to Onbe's cage as Naruto began rifling through their belongings, shaking his head at the various pelts, bones and other animal parts they had collected. He'd already dispatched a clone to get teams from Konoha and Naruto returned to the fire circle, trepidation filling his stomach.

Onbe was cradled in Itachi's arms, her body limp. She was still breathing, but they were able to get a proper look at her wounds now and Naruto resisted the urge to kick the poachers a bit while they were defenceless.

One of her eyes had been gouged out and blood matted her entire face. The bleeding looked to have stopped and it was the only injury Itachi could find, but it was a big injury.

"I'll take her straight to the Inuzuka clinic. My clone will be back soon," Naruto said and Itachi nodded wordlessly, understanding the need to stay behind. He'd make sure that the poachers were taken into custody without fail.

The journey back to Konoha seemed to take both forever and no time at all. All Naruto could think about was getting Onbe proper care and he sped faster and faster, yellow chakra lighting the forest as he sped through.

"Do you know what the fucking time is?" Hana said as she came to the door, eyes widening as she saw the reason Naruto had been banging on the clinic door so frantically.

"Bring her in. I'll get more help, take her straight through into the first examination room." Instantly, Hana was a professional and she ran to get a support team.

Naruto set Onbe down on the table gently. She gave a little murmur, single eye crinkling as she tried to reach out to Naruto.

"It's okay," Naruto said and stroked her back gently. "Hana's going to look after you. I'm sorry those bad people took you, but you're safe now. Itachi and I will never, ever let it happen again, okay?"

Naruto felt tears welling up and he bit them back. Onbe would be okay, there was no need to cry. She was strong, hadn't she proven that by still standing up to the poachers regardless of what they'd done to her? She'd be fine.

"Naruto," Hana said from the doorway, gown already on as she slipped gloves on. "We're going to have to operate on her eye. I've seen this before in some guard animals, the poachers take an eye out to subdue the animal enough to catch it or get away. They do a messy job of it."

Naruto nodded and kissed Onbe on the top of her head.

"Hana will look after you now, I have to go," he said, understanding what he needed to do. He'd only be in the way in this room. "I'll just be outside, I promise."

Narto hardly registered Kiba at his side until his friend sat him down firmly.

"I'll be helping my sister," he said. "Akamaru will stay here and I'll make sure to keep you updated when I can."

Akamaru placed his head on Naruto's lap, comforting him in a way only dogs understand. Kiba was gone a second later, the room where Onbe was being operated on sealing away from the real world and out of Naruto's grasp

This was something he couldn't fix, Naruto realised. He gripped a chunk of Akamaru's fur, leaning forward until his head was buried in the white fur. He didn't care anymore that he was crying and Akamaru moved closer, setting his head on Naruto's shoulder.

Naruto wasn't sure how much time passed, but Akamaru backed away gently, whining low in his throat. Naruto looked up, wiping his cheeks as he met the cold gaze of Itachi, an Itachi who moved forwards quickly, wrapping his arms tightly around Naruto and buried his head against Naruto's neck.

"She'll be alright," Naruto managed out, voice shaky. "She has to be."

They sat down, preparing to wait out the night. Their hands were clutched together tightly, Akamaru resting at their feet, guarding the two humans from the terrors of the night.

**.**

"She's resting now," Hana said as she began to wipe down the table. "There is no sign of infection – she's a very healthy onbaa – and they hadn't messed her head up too bad. Obviously she'll never see again and I have no idea how this will impact her relationship with humans… but I'm very positive for her full recovery."

The life seemed to leave Naruto's body and he slumped accordingly, smiling brightly at Itachi. Itachi's eyes were watery and he sniffed, thanking Hana heavily.

"I'd suggest you go home and get some rest. She'll be a handful when you take her home." She smiled, dark circles under her eyes evidence of the hard work she'd put in through the night.

"We can't thank you enough," Naruto said, ready to do anything for Hana and Kiba should they ask.

"You love her and that's all I need to know," Hana replied, spraying the table one last time. "Now go home, and not just for yourselves. I want to go back to sleep too." She grinned and Naruto nodded, taking Itachi's hand and leading him from the clinic.

They walked back in an odd trance. They were happy – undoubtedly – but guilt reared its head. None of this should have happened in the first place.

The house was unnaturally still when they entered.

"They lured her out then," Naruto said, breaking the silence as he headed upstairs. He wasn't anywhere near hungry and started pulling out their beds instead. Itachi wordlessly joined him, bumping shoulders gently.

"They used onbaa they'd killed before to lure her out and then capture her," Naruto said, lip crinkling upward in disgust. "And for what? A bit of money? Recognition?"

"At the expense of something else," Itachi finished, walking to Naruto's side. "Tsunade-sama has them in custody now. None of them will get away with what they did and we can bury the onbaa remains – as well as the other animal parts – with the respect they deserve."

Naruto nodded, yawning as he finally realised how tired he was. He lay down beside Itachi, curling up against him as Itachi did the same, falling asleep a moment later.

They woke up mid-afternoon to a familiar voice and a familiar dog. Naruto greeted Kiba warmly, eyes widening at the creature Akamaru was carrying on his back.

"She wouldn't stop making the clinic a living hell until Hana said that she should just let Onbe go home." Kiba shrugged and Onbe hurled herself off of Akamaru's back. Naruto cried out, stooping to pick up the injured onbaa, but instead of pain, Onbe looked delighted.

"That's the funny thing about animals," Kiba said as he scratched Akamaru behind his ear. "No matter how cruel or paingul the world becomes, if they have someone they love, they will love them unconditionally. The best place for her is with you two."

Kiba  _understood._ It would have been ridiculous for him not to, seeing as he'd been raised to care for dogs and understand them, but a lot of people closed their minds off even when they had pets. Naruto heard Itachi thanking them and while he offered tea, Kiba declined.

"I expect a spar with you in return," Kiba said to Naruto. "Maybe see if that onbaa of yours wants to join the shinobi forces!"

For a brief moment, Naruto entertained thoughts of riding on an adult Onbe's back and forming an anti-poaching league, but if it would ever happen, those days were far off. Kiba left and it was their little family once more.

**.**

Life trickled by slowly. Celebrations began and ended to mark the passing of an entire year since the war and their little house in the forest changed. Itachi and Naruto had a proper bedroom now, as did Onbe, and it felt warm, warmer even than when it was filled with baby onbaa.

"Shit, shit, shit," Naruto said as he darted around the house. "Where the fuck did I put that scroll? Baa-chan's going to kill me!"

Itachi looked over in amusement from upstairs, the banisters refurbished to allow the people at the table to overlook even when seated. He shuffled the newspaper and shook his head, glasses slipping down his nose ever so slightly.

"Itachi!" Naruto called out, panting slightly. "Have you seen a scroll? It's small and has a red seal. Shit," Naruto muttered again, running into the bedroom.

"You mean the scroll that contains your application to run for Hokage?" Itachi asked and Naruto poked his head out of the bedroom. "It's on the kitchen table."

Naruto's eyes widened as Itachi threw the scroll down and caught it with a relieved smile.

"What would I do without you?" Naruto asked, but instead of heading to the door, he walked upstairs. Itachi was standing by the time he reached the top step and he smirked, kissing Itachi deeply and wrapping his arms around him.

"Do you want to meet for ramen later?" Itachi murmured against Naruto's lips and Naruto raised an eyebrow.

"Are you asking me on a date?" he joked, spinning around and heading back downstairs. "Because if so, it's a definite yes."

Naruto looked to the door as it opened and a long nose peeked around the corner, snuffling in annoyance.

"Onbe's getting annoyed with me now, I'll see you for lunch." Naruto slipped his shoes on, tucked the scroll into one of his pockets and waved goodbye to Itachi as he closed the front door.

Onbe stood waiting on the path, full grown and impressive. Her empty eye socket had healed long ago and she turned her good eye towards Naruto, giving him a look that said it all.

"I know I'm late, girl," he said, starting to walk, a little quicker than he'd usually go. "And of course you're invited to lunch. I know you love ramen, I'll even sneak you my uzumaki."

Naruto smiled as Onbe shifted to walk on all fours, nudging him along with a smile on her face. He laughed as she looked at him, no other emotion except happiness shining in her eyes. It was hard to believe how far she'd come and Naruto couldn't help but smile back.

He had everything he wanted in his life, his Onbe and his Itachi, and he could scarcely believe how lucky he'd been.

"How about a race?" Naruto said and Onbe grunted. She was fast and Naruto had yet to beat her without using his hiraishin. It was a fact that Onbe loved to parade in front of Itachi (she still worshipped him, time did nothing to change that) and if Naruto felt a little jealous of it then well… nothing was ever perfect, even his life.

Still, he was as close as he could ever get. And that was more enough for Naruto.

**.**


End file.
